The secret of a long life can at last be revealed – being friends with everyone and never holding a grudge.

That’s how birthday boy Ted Powell reckons he managed to notch up an incredible 106 years.

The Wombourne pensioner, one of the oldest in the country, still lives on his own and enjoys painting, poetry and photography.

The former engineer, who worked at Wolverhampton’s famous Sunbeam factory, has been married twice, the second wedding when he was 92 years old.

Mr Powell’s friends and family that gathered to celebrate his birthday yesterday at the King’s Way Church in Wombourne, which he helped to found more than 20 years ago.

He attends Sunday services every week and Wednesday luncheon clubs as often as he can.

Mr Powell said: “The most important thing I have learned in my life is to love people.

“I have never had an enemy in my life and have lived long enough to know that life is too short not to love everyone else.”He married first wife Ivy, a concert pianist, at the age of 26 and they enjoyed 60 years together before she died.

He married Phylis when he was 92 and she was 88.

The couple met at the King’s Way Church and tied the knot six weeks later after a short courtship. She passed away in 1997.

Mr Powell has a daughter Gwendoline, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

He worked at the Sunbeam car and motorcycle factory earning £3 per week before leaving at the age of 21 to become a lorry driver.